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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "offshore account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "contract award committee" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447010364711 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
Fraud email example:
From: "David Koffi Annan JR" <info@serv1.dkaj.biz>
Reply-To: un201@live.com
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 15:17:29 -0700
Subject: CONTACT ME URGENTLY
Greetings from David Koffi Annan Junior,
I wish to intimate you
with this proposal in my capacity as Chief Financial controller and in full
agreement and consent with the Auditor-General and the Chairman, ECOWAS CONTRACT
AWARD COMMITTEE UNITED KINGDOM ANNEX.
We scrutinized all records and the
accounts of awarded and executed contracts to supply arms and ammunition to the
Ecowas Peace Keeping Forces(ECOMOG) in Darfur. However we deliberately
over invoiced the contract sum. The original Contractor has been paid off. I
therefore seek for your consent in receiving the over invoiced whooping sum
which is ready for approval. As a top civil servant, I am not authorized to owe
an offshore account hence my decision to work with you in full trust and
confidence to use your name/company in receiving the payment under your custody.
You will be our trustee and I will regularize and update all files to
reflect you as the beneficiary of the the outstanding contract payment.
Moreover, it is pertinent to note that it does not require many engagements
since I have taken care of the deal in full capacity.
Get back to me with
contact details.
Here is my phone number +447010364711
Have a pleasant day.
With Kind Regards,
David Koffi Annan
Junior
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Anti-fraud resources:
